Agendas Week of February 19th, 2019
Work Session
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 4:00pm
Committee Meeting
Middle to Honor Lockwood on Wall of Mayors at February 20th Township Committee Meeting
Former Mayor Dan Lockwood will be honored for his service to the Township at the February 20th Township Committee Meeting.
Lockwood’s portrait will be unveiled on the Wall of Mayors in the Township Meeting Room at 6 pm.
Daniel Lockwood was elected to Township Committee in 2009 and served two terms. He held the title of Mayor in 2012 and 2013. Lockwood was the first Republican to be elected in Middle Township in nearly fifty years, when he joined Township Committee in 2010.
He became the Township’s first Republican Mayor in over seventy years in 2012, when the election of fellow Republican Tim Donohue shifted the balance of power on Township Committee.
The Township has invited all former Mayors to attend the unveiling and the public is welcome.
Middle Reappoints CFO to Four Year Term
By a unanimous vote of Middle Township Committee, Chief Financial Officer Susan Anastasio-Quinones was reappointed to a four year term, beginning January 1, 2019.
“We’re please to have Susan reappointed to a new, four year term,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “She has brought a steady hand and a keen eye for detail to the financial mangement of our town. Her extensive experience in government finance, as well as her background in municipal administration, fit well with our plans to focus delivering the best municipal services we can, at the lowest cost possible.”
Committeeman Clark commented that “as the Governing Body Liaison to the Finance Department, I’m confident in the re-appointment of Susan Quinones. She has the Township’s fiduciary duties competently under control. I look forward to her continued professionalism and commitment to the Township.”
“We are fortunate to have someone with Susan’s governmental background and experience running our Finance Department. I look forward to working with Susan during her second term,” Deputy Mayor Gandy added.
Anastasio-Quinones initially began her Middle Township career in 2011 as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer until 2013. She returned as the Chief Financial Officer, filling an unexpired term, in 2016. As of January 2, 2019 she was reappointed to the CFO position for a four (4) year term. Ms. Anastasio-Quinones currently holds the following professional licenses with the State of New Jersey; Certified Municipal Finance Officer, Certified County Finance Officer, and Registered Municipal Clerk. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Financial Management with a minor in Accounting from Franklin University, and an Associates of Arts in Business Administration from Cumberland County College.
What began as a summer job during high school with the City of Vineland, Business Administrators Office, has cumulated into over 26 years of experience on a municipal, county, board of education and improvement authority level of government. Ms. Anastasio-Quinones has previously served as Township Clerk/Administrator/Chief Financial Officer/Economic Development Director for Hopewell Township (Cumberland County), Township Administrator/Chief Financial Officer/Acting Purchasing Agent for Buena Vista Township, Accounting Manager/Supervisor for the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Fiscal Officer/Confidential Assistant for the County of Cumberland as well as various finance related positions with Downe Township Board of Education and the City of Vineland.
In addition to her full time work for Middle Township, Ms. Anastasio-Quinones also serves as Treasurer of School Monies for both Hopewell Board of Education and Fairfield Board of Education.
A graduate of Vineland High School, she currently resides in Cumberland County with her husband and children.
Update – Safety Upgrades to Exit 9 Northbound Shellbay Avenue
Many of our residents have reached out expressing their concerns with the poor design of Garden State Parkway Exit 9 at Shellbay Road.
Middle Township shares those concerns and we have been advocating for design changes and safety upgrades to this exit, almost from day one.
The MTPD has been collecting traffic data and accident reports from the site. The Court House Fire Co. has also raised it’s collective voice with the State of NJ to push for improved safety measures.
The Garden State Parkway falls under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
According to Shawn Taylor, Director of Community and Government Relations for the NJTA, additional signage and beacon lights will be installed at the exit within the next few months.
This will be helpful in the short term.
The Township will continue to advocate for a redesign of this exit to both our state legislators and the NJHA.
If you would like your voice to be heard at the state level, you can contact the NJHA @ https://www.njta.com/contact-us
Change in Government Study Progresses in Middle
CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT STUDY PROGRESSES IN MIDDLE
The Middle Township Citizens Advisory Board, established to study a possible change in the size and form of Middle Township government, will meet for the sixth time in early February. The Board, under the leadership of Chairman Mike Butterfield, has undertaken a comprehensive study of Middle Township’s current form of government and plans to meet with consultants from the State of NJ Department of Community Affairs, to explore the options available for a change in government, permissible under state law.
The Board has met at Town Hall, at the MLK Center in Whitesboro and at the Rio Grande Fire Hall. Meetings are open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend.
In the past two months, the Board has interviewed several former elected officials to hear their perspectives on the current three-person Committee format and listened to suggestions for positive change. Former Mayors Charles Leusner, Mike Voll and Dan Lockwood have all participated.
On January 15th, the Board interviewed current Mayor Tim Donohue. Donohue, who initiated the call for the establish of the Advisory Board, complimented the group on its hard work and thoroughness.
“We meet for over two hours in a question and answer format,” Donohue said. “It was a lively and thoughtful discussion. The Board members have clearly taken this task seriously and done a lot of research and due diligence. I commend them for making the process open to all and I look forward to hearing their recommendations in the next few months.”
The Citizens Advisory Board will next meet on February 6th at 6:00pm, in the second floor conference room at Town Hall.
Mariah Fishman and Christina Lillemon Honored as Middle Township’s Employee of The Month
MIDDLE NAMES CONSTRUCTION OFFICE ASSISTANTS EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
Construction Office employees Mariah Fishman and Christina Lillemon have been announced as Middle Township’s January Employees of the Month. The pair were nominated for the award by Zoning Officer David May. May cited Lillemon and Fishman for their excellent customer service and their support of the Zoning Office while an employee was out on leave over the past several months.
Christina Lillemon serves as the Township’s Technical Assistant to the Construction Official, Mr. Salvatore DeSimone, as well as secretary to the Rent Leveling Board. Christina began her career in Middle Township in the Municipal Clerk’s Office in 2013, moving to the Construction Office upon the retirement of long-time Technical Assistant Sue Copson. Christina resides in the Township with her husband Dennis and three children.
Mariah Fishman has been a Township employee since 2016, completing her Technical Assistant certification course in 2017. Along with Desimone and Lillemon, she rounds out the Construction Office staff as Keyboarding Clerk.
“Christina and Mariah have their hands full in the challenging and fast-paced environment of the Construction Office,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “Along with those day to day tasks, they have pitched in over the last several months to keep our Zoning Office humming, while a key employee was out on leave. We are proud to recognize them as our Employees of the Month for January 2019. The honor is well deserved.”